Type-writing machine.



A. w. STHGEH.

TYPE wnnms MACHINE.

\ APPLICATION FILED MM]. 1. m1. 1,283,348. Patented Oct.29,1918.

2 $HEETS-SHEET 2.

hymn/0r.- Of/ firm/Way UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDR EW W. STEIGER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 UNDERWOOD COM- PUTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

Original application filed March 30, 1916, Serial No. 87,672. Divided and this application filed March 1, 1917. Serial No. 151,655.

To all; whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1. ANDREW W. S'rnronn, a citizen of the United States. residing in Hartford. in the, county of Hartford and State of Connecticut. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-friting Machines. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to typewriting machines, and more particularly to means whereby the pointing off or spacing between figures. as between dollars and cents, and between hundreds and thousands, etc. may be done automatically in the regular course of writing numbers, and is in the nature of an improvement on the application of Frederick A. Hart. No. 79,969. filed February 23, 1916.

In the application above referred to. the mechanism includes an cscapement wheel with which cooperates a fixed dog and a loose dog. both supported'by a dog rocker, the latter controlled lrveharacter keys to effect letter-feed movements of the typewriter carriage. Said application also includes mechanism for effecting a doublespare movement of the carriage at a point where it is desired to have a space between figures. by automatically shifting a stop member. which controls the throw of the loose dog. by means of a hail provided with tappets. the tappets being engaged by a projection on a tabulator stop during the travel of the typewriter carriage.

An object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the space skipping mechanism may be manually rendered inoperative. As herein disclosed, this result may be zu-complished by swinging the tappeted bail to a position where it will not be engaged by the tabulator stop. by means of a manually operable key arranged at the key-board on the machine.

This application is a division of niy application No. 87.672. tiled March 30. 1916.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of the machine. some of the parts being broken away. others being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a detail front elevation of the upper portion of the tabulator plunger bracket. showing part of the means supp'orted thereby for causing the typewriter carriage to skip a space at predetermined positions during the travel thereof.

Fig. 3 is a skeleton perspective view illustrating my invention, and showing the Conneetion between the disconnect key and a pivoted frame which snpports the tappeted bail.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the typewriter eseapement which shows the parts set so as to allow the typewriter carriage to be moved single letter-space dis tances.

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the escapement dogs rocked rearwardly.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, except that the stop member is shifted to eflect a double-space movement of the typewriter carriage.

The typewriting machine, except some of the escapement devices which will hereinafter he clearly described, is of the usual Underwood construction. in which nume 'al keys 11 and alphabet keys 12 when de pressed. move key levers 13 and 14 respec tively. and rock bell cranks 15 to swing type bars 16 upwardly and rearwardly about a fulcrum rod 17. causing types 18 and 19 to print against a cylindrical platen' '20 rotatably mounted on the typewriter carriage 21.

The typewriter carriage is under constant tension of the spring drum '22 connected to thetypewriter carriage by a strap 23. r rack 2t pivotally mounted on the typewriter carriage at 25. engages with the pinion 26 to rotate an escapement wheel 27 provided with teeth 28. The pinion 26 is connected to the escapement wheel by the usual one-way driving pawls This escapement wheel cooperates with a loose dog 30 and a dog 31 fixed on the dog rocker 32 which is pivotally supported by an escapement bracket The typewriter escapement. except the double-space feature herein described, is in many respects like that described in the 100 patent to Rice ct 11L. No. 769.804. dated September 13. 1904, and is operated in the following manner.

Each typebar 16 is provided with a heel 35 which. while the type bar is swinging to 105 printing position. moves a universal bar 36 rearwardly against the tension of a spring 37 (Fig. 3) and rocks the dog carrier 01' rocker 32 against the tension of a spring 38 (Fig. 4). The spring38 serves the double 110 lrn-rtmn o1 'inging the loose clog about its or {il when the upper pa rt of the dog car- (r is mortal. I'tfttWYtllfil). and returning the ting rairior to normal position- During the oprration ot the type hars lt'i. tho (log rocker 21-3 i mu t-l to vihrate transvvrsely of tho rsvapunni-nt wh el 12?, thus hringing tho teeth in oi the 43*.)filitilltlll \Ylltt'l into coiiperation allr-inat i elv with the loose and fixvtl it' LijS. I

When th ing 1'1 a-lirr or earlier is nioveil ttitlWYtli' ll}. the lUHH. ting ll) is ilisrngagrtl from :1 tooth is of illt. t'vltttlh'llltllt wheel alter the tired tlog it has lIlUVLtl into at p0- sitiwi to eitgagr saiil tooth and lHJlll tho twapvnient wheel. The loosc ilog 3U. hon ihns disengaged. is permitted antler tho iii-- lllli'lllt ol the spriin 38, to move to a Posi iion whero 11 is; arrestotl h a stop it) (Fig. l. 11ml when the (log rocker is brought hark to normal position. the lOOSP dog will he hronght into the path of the next sucrtaaling tooth in of the esrapnnlent whet-l 21', am] the ilXltl dog will he withdrawn from the path ol' the teeth. Th1- whorl being now tier. is rotatetl. musing said snrueeiling tooth is to swing the loo r ilog ahont its pivol ii ha k to normal position (Fig. 3) against :1 stop ll on the (log carrier 32, thrrvlo' arresting the rarriage after a lutterpare movement thereol'.

Theltlllillilllll. vX 'ept some of the stops on tho stop ar. is of the. regular Underwood eonstrut-tion. in which a depression of one ol tlw tltlltjlllllllliiOllill tahulator keys 4-3 swings a h-ver i about a tulrruin 47, to m ve the upper illtl of a plunger 4% into tlupath of :1 rollnnn stop i supported on a stop har 5H rarriml by the typewriter Carriage. Th1- plungor 1H (luring such n1ovewent reloases tho t vpowritrr rarriage h 011-- gaging n ith :1 pivotetl universal liar 51. (ansing :1 ilownwarrl niovmnent of a link Wiiltll swings a lover F1 5 ahout its pivot. ol. ililtl raises the rat-k i l out of engagement iLh the pinion :ili. thus setting the rarriage tree from the esrapea-ient ileviees. and permilling it to he movtal l1 the s u'ing (lllHU 22. The carriage will run until a t-ohunn top 45' strikes the projeetetl plunger 48. thereby arresting the rarriage at the rolunin position l(lllllllll("ll l v saiil stop l9. and at the tlenoininational position in tho eoluinn worrespontiing to tho :lr'tlitllm'l l(t l5. in the pre=ent ea e l have shown night plungers. with one being provided with a liov 45 :nnl a levnr i Douhle spare anon-omits of the'tvpowriter earriagv at prvilrteriniuntl positions (luring ii IE'ilHl arr efi'ertell in the following nianllil'.

The stop ll! which normally ('(JlillnlS the swinging eseapemmrt (log iltl'as hert inhefore i l eriliell. is rarriml on :1 shiftahlo stop menil er or lever H5 pivoted on a stud 96 secured to the escapcment bracket 33. the lever being held in position lengthwise of the stutl h nuts 97 antl 98 (Fig. 3). A soconil stop 99 on said lever 95 is so positioned that when the lover is I'Ut'lfltl from the Fig. 71 position to the position indicated in Fig. 3. the stop it!) is hroughl into the path of the stop it). It shonltl he understood that in the Fig. T1 position the swinging; clog I) is arrestetl l :1 pin 100 coming in oontart with the stop to, and in the Fig. 1; position tho loose log is arrtastvtl hy tho round portion l0. engaging with tho stop ll. It the Clog rot-her $37. i.- now roekod to ilisengagn the fixeal tlog ill from the nsuapcnient whet-l, the latter is peranittutl a tlouhlwspaee nimenient as one; tooth 55 has her-n shipped h v the l'iivotetl or loose :log 30.

The shittalile stop nu-mlior 95 is :konnerteil through an arm 10 5 thereon anti :1 link 110 to a hail 107, said hail and stop member heing holrl in normal position lay a spring; 102, whi -l1 causes the arm ltlii to hear again t tllfi oseaponient lHIHJlHt 33. The stop nurmher 95 is rotrltotl to its il lllljlt" space permitting position, (Fig. ti) against the tension of tho saitl spring; 1H2. in tho following manner.

Those of the tahnlator stops 4 3 whivh aro list-(l to stop the carriage at; special zones in which it is ilesirahlc to skip the pimctuation spaces, are provided with oxtensions 105 whit-h during the travel of the carriage engage with tappets 106 on the bail IOT, whirh is pivoterl to a hail-carrying frame 108 by pivot serews 10!). The forward portion of the hail is (lopressml whenover tho extension 105 engages with one of the tappets 106, whieh causes the stop member 95, eonnetrtotl to said hail l1 v means of the link 110. to be shifted to the Fig. 6 position, where the stop ll] has hren taken out of. and the sto; 9!! brought into. roii 'ierativo relation with tho loose (log 30.

To explain more clearly the double space movements of the typewriter Parriage. lot: it he assun'ieil that the Carriage has rPaoherl the tvn thousands position in a Certain Zone. In this position the extension 105 of the tahulator stop 40 will he to the right. anilatlja- (out to the middle tappet 106. if we now print in this position, the esrapt-inont met-h anisin will operate as usual to permit the earriag'o to ailvanre a siin lr letter spatte (listaner. This movement (n tlit' Carriage. however. will Pause the tabulator stop to swing the hail 107 antl through tho link lit shift, the stop 99 to the Fig. (1 position, so that, on the next depression of the numeral key (the carriagv now ining in the thousancls position) the loose dog 30 will he porinittnel to move to the positidn shown in Fig. 13. upon tho roarwaril movement of the (log rorkor. where the (log 30 is arrestrtl by tho stop 99. .Yhon tho (log roela'r is flllmvml to return to normal position, the loose (log, will mov .nection between the thrust.

back of the adjacent tooth 28 and engage with the next tooth, permitting a doub e space movement of the escapement wheel, and the carriage will be fed two letter space distances. Automatic double spacing is in like manner effected at the decimal point position and at any other desired points in the computing zone by correspoiniingly located tappets 106.

To make the double space mechanism ineffective, which is sometimes desirable. I have found it advantageous to pivot the bail-carrying frame 108 on the tabulator plunger bracket 111, by means of screws 112, so that the upper end of the frame 108 can be moved forwardly to brin the tappets 106 on the bail 107 to the dotte line position A shown in Fig. 1, where the tappets 106 are out of the path of the projection 103 of the tabulator stop 40. The tappets 106 are moved to the dotted line position, above re ferred to, by pushing the key provided on a thrust rod 81, causing a pin 115 projecting laterally from the thrust rod 81 to rock a. bail 116 by means of an arm 117. which is pivoted to the bail at 118 and held against a pin 119 projecting from the bail, by means of a spring 120. \Vhen the bail 116 is rocked, it causes a downward pull on a link 121 connected to an arm 122 extending forwardly and laterally from the bailcarrying frame 108.

It will be understood that the stop member 95 is left undisturbed while the tappets are being shifted to the A position, above referred to, the link 110 swinging about its point of connection to 103 of the stop member.

Furthermore the tappets 106 can be locked in their inoperative position by bringing a pin 88 on the thrustrod 81 to a cut-out portion 91 of a slot 89.

The arm 117 is pivoted to the bail 116 and held against the pin 119 by means of the spring 120, thus providing a yielding conrod 81 and the bail 116 to permit a movement of the thrust rod 81 after the bail 116 has come to its final position.

It is also to be understood that the bail 116 is pivotally mounted on a rod 123 and is held in place thereon against lateral displacement by collars 124 which are secured to the rod 123.

The bail-carrying frame 108, as heretofore mentioned, is pivotally mounted on the tabulator plunger bracket 111 by screws 112. These screws are fixed to said brackets by means of nuts 125 and 126 which are threaded on the screws 112 and allow an adiustment of the frame 108 and thus an adjustment of the tappets 106, so that the latter cooperate with the tabulator stop at the proper time during the travel of the typewriter carriage. It will be seen that the screws 112 have reduced portions 127 which bear in holes 128 in the plunger bracket 111.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a typewriter carriage, means for propelling it, reciprocating cscapcmcnt devices which ordinarily allow the carriage to move single letter-space distances. :1 tabnlator stop, moans controlled from said tabulator stop for allowing the typewriter carriage to move more than a single letterspace distance at a predetermined position in the travel of said carriage, and means for rendering said tahulator-stop controlled means inoperativc.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a typewriter carriage, means for propelling said typewriter carriage, recipro cating cscapemcnt devices which ordinarily allow the carriage to move single lcttcrspace distances, column-selecting mechanism for thc t \'pcwritcr carriage, means cont rolled from said selecting mechanism for effecting double-space movement at predetermined positions in the travel of said carriage, said last-mentimied mechanism comprising a tappet, a shif table stop member to which the tappct. is connected, and means for rendering said double space permitting means inoperative by moving said tappet. without disturbing said shiftable stop member.

3. The combination with -.1 typewriter earriage and propelling means" therefor. of cscapement mechanism controlling the letterfccd movements of the carriage to normally effect a. single lctter-space movement of the 'arriage at each operation. il hail shifted by the typewriter carriage, a vcrti *al link on which said bail is mounted. a device opcrated by said link for allowing the carriage to move more than a single letter-space distance by a single operation of the escape ment mechanism, and a key adapted to swing said bail on said link to render said device ineffective by swinging the bail clear of the carriage.

4. The combination with a typewriter carriage and propelling means therefor. of reciprocating escapen'ient devices which normally allow the carriage to move a single letter-space distance at each operation of said devices. a tabulator stop, means controlled from said stop to permit the type writer carriage to move more than a single letter-space distance when the carriage reaches a predetermined position relative to said stop, and a key to render said lastmentioned means ineffective.

In a typewriting machine, the combination with a paper carriage and propelling means therefor, of escapement mechanism to permit lctter-feed movements of the carriage, character keys operative for printing. means whereby the eseapement mechanism is controlled from said keys. to normally effeet a single letter-space movement of the carriage at each operation of a key. a tabolator stop, tabnlalor mechanism comprising a key operative to effect :1 run of the carriage to a position determim-d by the table lator stop. means controlling said escapement mechanism for ellecting a double letter-space movement of the carriage when one of said character keys is operated with the carriage in a predeterm ned position relative to the said tabnlator stop, and means to render said double spacing;- means lllClIt'tf tive.

(3. In a ty 'iewriting machine the combination of a typewriter carriage and propelling means therefor, of an escapement mechanism normally operative to effect single letter space movements of the carriage, a series of tappets, a carrier therefor. means carried by the carriage to engage said tappets and actuate the carrier, a device forming part of the escapement mechanism for effecting double lettenspace movements of the carriage, a link extending from said device to said carrier and supporting the. latter, and a key to render said double. spacing means inetfective by swinging said carrier on said link clear of the *arriage.

T. The combination with a typewriter carriage and propelling means therefor, of eseapement mechanism controlling the letterfeed movements of the carriage, said mcchanism comprising a fixed dog and a loose dog, means controlling said loose dog comprising a shiftable stop device, a tappct movably mounted on the machine frame, means moving with the carriage to actuate said tappet when the carriage reaches apredctermined position, connections between said tappet and stop device for shifting the latter, and thereby changing the stop position of said loose dog to effect a double-space letter-feed movement of the carriage, and key-operated means to take said tappet out of the control of the carriage.

8. In a typewriting machine the combination with a carria e and propelling means therefor, of letterecd mechanism normally operative to effect single letterspace movements of the carriage, tabulator mechanism comprising an adjustable column stop means, means automatically operable to effect a double letter-space movement of the carriage when it. reaches a predetern'iined position in the column determined by the adjustment of said column stop, and means operable at will to render said double, letter-spacing means inoperative.

9. In a. typcwriting machine, the co1nbination with a carriage and propelling means therefor, of letter-feed mechanism for the carriage, including a rack, a pinion meshing with saidrack, and dogs to hold the pinion, means shift ably mounted on the machine frame to control said dogs to vary said letter-feed mechanism by varying thethrow of a dog while holding the rack and pinion in mesh, means on the carriage to shift said controlling means when the carriage reaches a predetermined position during its letterfeed travel. and thereby automatically cause a double letter-space movement of the car rlage, a key, and means operated thereby to render said controlling means inellective.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage andpropelling means therefor, of letter-feed mechanism normally operative to permit single letter-space movements of the carriage, tabulating mechanism comprising an adjustable column stop and a tabulator key operable to cause the carriage to move to a column position determined by the position of adjustment of said stop, numeral keys by which said escapement mech anism is operated, a shiftable device controlling said escapementmechanism, means adjustable with said stop and operable automatically to shift said device when the carriage reaches a )osition determined by the adjustment; of saic stop and thereby effect a double letter-space movement of the carriage at a single operation of a numeral key, a key, and means actuated thereby to render said double-spacing means ineffective.

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage and propelling means therefor, of numeral keys, types operated thereby to print, a letter-feeding device for said carriage, including a rack on the carriage, a pinion, and dogs for holding said pinion, a tappet movably mounted on the machine frame, means on the carriage to shift said tappet when the'carriage reaches a predetermined denominational position in the writing of a number, means operated by said tappet to selectively vary the throw of a. dog to effect a double letter-space movement of the carriage while keeping the rack and pinion in mesh, and a key to take the tappct out of the control of the carriage.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage and propelling means therefor, of letter-feed mechanism, including escapement dogs, character keys, means actuated by the keys for operating said letter-feed mechanism, carriage controlled means controlling the letter-feed mechanism to automatically selectively vary the throw of a dog to effect variable s acing between the written characters, an key-controlled mechanism to render said last-mentioned means ineffective.

13. The combination with a, carriage and pro elling means therefor, of letter-feed moo anism normally operative to eflect single letter-space movements of the carriage, a machine frame, a swinging frame pivoted thereon, a tappet movably mounted on the swinging frame, means on the carriage to move said tappet transversely of the swinging motion when the carriage reaches a predetermined position, means operated by said tappet to automatically ett'ect a double letter-space mmement ot' the carriag'e, a key, and a connection lict'ween said key and swinging rame for swinging the latter to move said tappet to inetl'ective po- Stfill.

14-. The combination with a machine 'ramtg of a carriage mounted to travel thereon. means to propel the carriage, letter-teed mechanism controlling the movements of the carriage, a taliulator stop on the carriage, a frame i-iounted to swing on the ma-v chine frame, a tappet hail mounted on said swinging frame in position to be act uated lrv said tabulator stop during the travel of the carriagm means ope 'ated by said bail for automatically etl'ecting a double letter-space movement of the carriage, and a key eonneeted to said swinging frame for swinging the latter to carr said bail out of position to lie actuated by the taliulator stop. and thereby silence said (ionic-spacingmeans.

17 In a typewriting machine, the comliination with a traveling carriage and a frame on which it travels. of an escapement device for feeding said 'arriage letterspaces, a link connected to said device for causing a double letter-space feed, a bar adjacent said carriage and pivotally supported by said link, a lug on said carriage adapted to strike said bar to make said device feed a double letter-space, a second link pivotally mounted to which said bar is also Goplu of mi: patent may be obtained to:

pivoted, and a finger-piece adapted to swing said bar on its links to carry it clear of the lug.

It'. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a traveling carriage and a frame on which it travels. of an cscapement device for feeding said airriage letter-spaces, a link connected to said device for causing a double letter-space feed, a liar adjacent said arriage and pivotally supported by said link. a hug on said carriage adapted to strike said bar to make said device feed a double letter-s uice, a second link pivotally mounted to which said lltll is also pivoted, a finger-piece at the typewriter keyboard, a rearwardlv-extending liar attached thereto, a rock-arm fast to said second link, and a third link adapted to be drawn down by said last-named l)tl]' to swing said roct-arm to carr v the tirst' liar clear of the lug.

1?. In a typewriting machine, the. combination with a traveling carriage and a frame on which it travels. of an escapement device for feeding said carriage letterspaces, a link connected to said device for causing a double letter-space feed, a liar adjacent said carriage. a frame on which said bar is pivoted, a pair of pivots for said frame, devices for adjustahly holding said frame in place on its pivots. a lug on said carriage adapted to strike said bar to make it effective on said link, so that the device will feed a double letter-space, and a finger-piece for swinging said frame adapted to carry said bar clear of said lug.

ANDREW \V. STEIGER.

\Vitnesses JOHN L. VINToN, SHIRLEY E. GLEDHILL.

five cent: each, by dressing the "Uommlutoner o! Iatentl,

Wuhi ngton, D. 0." 

